amable

English

Etymology

From Middle English amable, amabully, amebill, partly from Middle French amable (modern aimable) and partly from its etymon, Latin amābilis.[1] Doublet of aimable (“likeable”).

Pronunciation

  • Audio (US):(file)

Adjective

amable (comparative more amable, superlative most amable)

  1. (obsolete) Friendly, pleasant.
    • [1545], S[aint] Bernard, translated by Thomas Paynell, “Of fornication the .xxiij. chap.”, in A Compẽdius & a Moche Fruytefull Treatyse of Well Liuynge, Cõtaynyng the Hole Sũme and Effect of Al Vertue, London: […] Thomas Petyt, folios lxxxix, verso – xc, recto; republished in Early English Books Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: Text Creation Partnership, p. 2011:
      What vtilite is ther, in the carnall bewtye of man? Is not man as drye as hay? And dothe * not his goodly beutye vanyshe awaye, as dothe the shadowe? And when death cōmeth, I pray you tell me, what goodlynesse shall remayne in the bodie? whē ye shall se his body swollē, and turned into all fylthy stynche, and sauer, shall ye not then stop your noose from such vnsauery sauer? And from suche a styn∣kynge bodye? Tell me I praye you where shall his goodly and his amable face be then?
    • 1748 August 18, C[harles] Lucas, To the Free Citizens, and Free-Holders, of the City of Dublin, Dublin: […] James Kelburn, […], page 7:
      But I muſt ſay, that however amable theſe Men, or any of them, may, poſſibly, appear, in their private Capacities, yet, as Aldermen, they are profeſſed Slaves, to the Miniſtry, and Tyrants, to the CITIZENS.
    • 1907, Frank Frankfort Moore, chapter II, in The Messenger, London: Hodder and Stoughton, page 12:
      “That shows that parson’s heart be in the right place,” nodded the farmer. “He gives us all to understand at a glance that he reads the words ’cause they are set down for him in the solemn Prayer-book, and hopes that there’s none among his hearers who will hold him responsible as a man for their ungentility.” / “True, sir, true; parson’s an amable gentleman, always ’cepting when the cock he has hatched from the noblest game strain fails him in the first main,” said the blacksmith.
    • 1920, Richard Barry, “The Desperado’s Story”, in Fruit of the Desert, Garden City, N.Y.; London: Doubleday, Page & Company, page 96:
      Bimeby they chucked me in here where I learns from this poor gang o’ red pals that the amable intention is to let me rot on quarter rations.

See also

References

  1. ^ “amable, adj.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin amābilis, corresponding to amar +‎ -able.

Pronunciation

Adjective

amable m or f (masculine and feminine plural amables)

  1. kind, nice, friendly

Derived terms

Further reading

Galician

Alternative forms

Etymology

    Derived from Latin amābilis.

    Adjective

    amable m or f (plural amables)

    1. lovable

    Further reading

    Spanish

    Etymology

      Learned borrowing from Latin amābilis.

      Pronunciation

      • IPA(key): /aˈmable/ [aˈma.β̞le]
      • Audio (Venezuela):(file)
      • Rhymes: -able
      • Syllabification: a‧ma‧ble

      Adjective

      amable m or f (masculine and feminine plural amables, superlative amabilísimo)

      1. kind, amiable, gracious
        Synonym: servicial
        Él es muy amable conmigo.
        He is very kind to me.
      2. affable

      Derived terms

      Further reading

      Tagalog

      Etymology

      Etymology tree
      Latin amābilislbor.
      Spanish amablebor.
      Tagalog amable

        Borrowed from Spanish amable, a learned borrowing from Latin amābilis.

        Pronunciation

        • (Standard Tagalog) IPA(key): /ʔaˈmable/ [ʔɐˈmaː.blɛ]
        • Rhymes: -able
        • Syllabification: a‧ma‧ble

        Adjective

        amable (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜋᜊ᜔ᜎᜒ)

        1. amiable; kind; friendly
          Synonyms: mabait, mabuti

        Further reading

        • Cuadrado Muñiz, Adolfo (1972), Hispanismos en el tagalo: Diccionario de vocablos de origen español vigentes en esta lengua filipina. [Hispanicisms in Tagalog: Dictionary of words of Spanish origin still used in this Philippine language.], Revised by Antonio M. Molina. With an Introductory Study by Rodolfo Barón Castro, Madrid: Oficina de Educación Iberoamericana (OEI) [Office of Ibero-American Education], →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 28
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